# District forester landowner assistance

> Advice and site visits from Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Forestry Bureau (State) for IA, United States.

Official page: https://www.iowadnr.gov/conservation/forestry/forestry-landowner-assistance
Source: https://treerm.org/residents/programs/ia-dnr-district-forester-landowner-assistance · Updated 2026-11-08 · Status: Open

**What you get:** Advice from a DNR district forester at no additional cost on planting, managing and harvesting woodland, plus help with cost-share programs

Iowa DNR district foresters have helped Iowans manage woodlands since 1935. They advise on improving woodland for wildlife, recreation, water quality or wood products through tree planting, selective harvesting and other practices, and can prepare management plans (four sample plans are posted). They also connect private landowners with cost-share reimbursement for tree planting, forested riparian buffers, forest stand improvement, site preparation for natural regeneration, wildlife habitat improvement and fencing, through programs such as REAP (minimum 5 acres for timber stand improvement, 3 acres for tree planting), NRCS EQIP and FSA CRP.

## Who qualifies

Iowa woodland owners; no acreage threshold or fee is stated for forester advice. Cost-share minimums apply to individual programs (REAP: 5 acres for timber stand improvement, 3 acres for tree planting).

## How to apply

Call or email the district forester for your area from the list on the landowner assistance page (for example District 8, Boone, 515-238-6377; District 12, Iowa City, 563-260-0319; Driftless Area, 563-608-0086), or call DNR customer service at 515-725-8200. The State Forest Nursery catalog says to contact your district forester for planning help at no additional cost.

**For:** Landowners, Farmers, Homeowners

> Note: Two district forester positions (Districts 6 and 9) were listed as vacant on the page when read; check the current list.